Reinforcement applicator



Sept. 13, 1949. J, Al ROBERTS l2,182,03

RE INFORCEMENT APPLICATOR John A. Roberts INVENTOR.

Sept. 13, 1949.

J. A. ROBERTS REINFQRCEMENT APPLICATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 4,1948 Jahn A. Hoberfs HVVENTOR.

BY @Mm ni/mw# 5mm Sept. 13, 1949. J, A. ROBERTS REINFORCEMENT APPLIcAToR3 Shafts-Shree?l 3 Filed Nov. 4, 1948 A mf. s T. ,u A f N w w.. m U R imW A. wn m QW .J w n wv wmv uw v .El

Patented Sept. 13, 10949:

U Nl ED' S TAT ES OFFIC E 2,482,030 R'IRLCEMENT Ai?LIlfl'irifisY JohnlAiRober'ts, Rocksland, 'Illi- Abell-anse meenten, 194s, seimila.'ssrs l Claims (C1. lian This :invetin relates to'Anevv" an'dlusefull'i1n proveniente-'and structural Lrelnernents in applicators forreinforcements, and thev principal objectof=thefinventoh 1iste provideyan' 'applicator' suclfas maylhe cbnvenientl'y'and electively ein'- plydfor installi n g'reinforcenents or' eyelets in" binding aperturesofleavesn loo's'eleaf note; bceiisgerthaiike; A

In" partcula thelnvention contemplates vthe' provisionoffa'n''applicator'which is adapted for us'fivith strips of reinforcingblanks, an important featnreof the' inventour'siding'in the provisih' of.nieansfer "preforrnin'g such'l blanks, installing ch-enr in positionfon'the leaf; andA separating them'` from" the"- main body of the strp.'

An additional fatureof the-'invention ues in; the provision' ofautonatic'" feeding'L rn'ean's for' passingi'theblanks successivelythrough ,theprelA forijihg; separating-fand installing stations.k

Important advantages 'or the invention lreside in its 'simplicity ofVccn'strution; convenience' of "opi j eration," andin itsadaptability"to'economical` manufacture? 1 and i111stzltingthelinverit'ion "its depressed positionj 1 FigureiS'is a'erss sectionalview,`"sirnila'r to that shownin Figure I2," but' illustrating the'"same"i1/fits"AN elevated position Figure-4 isafragmentary undersideplan view tion ofthe automaticieed mechanism, this view* beingtakensubstantiallylon the plane' of theline" 4;@ in Figure 3;v

Figure-5 is aci-'oss sectional vieW',"takei"sb-"` stantially'on theplaneof the line 5 5 in Figure'l lFigure 6 lis' 'a jfragmentary perspectiveViewjof thefeed mechanism in the head, the same being" Figure# isahperspectve vievvshowing thearf` anL elongated'ba'se 2d 4"providedadjacentone'endf f' 20'N reference Character E is provided onthe'base2," .t

s head including atop member ZSand abottom 44, 46 which providetherebetween a passage 48 in communication with the magazine 42. It isto be noted that the zig-zagged strip I4 may be inserted in the magazine42 through a suitable door 56 hinged as at 52 to the aforementioned wall44, the door 58 being openable as indicated at 54 and any suitable typeof a removable cover 56 being provided on the top member 28 so thataccess to the interior of the head 26 may be had for the purpose ofopening the door 56 and installing the strip I4 in the magazine 42. Itis to be noted that the door 52 and the floor of the magazine 42 areprovided with inwardly projecting detents 58, 60 respectively, whichdetents are intended to engage and separate, so to speak, the individualblanks I2 in the strip I4, prior to the admission of the strip i4 intothe passage 48 in a flat form.

The reinforcement strip I4 is propelled through the passage 48 by anautomatic feed mechanism designated generally by the reference character62, which will be hereinafter more fully described. After leaving thepassage 48, the reinforcement strip I4 is subjected to three separateand distinct operations, namely, preforming, separating and installing,this work being effected at three different locations, namely, what maybe referred to as the preforming station 64, the separating staiton 66,and the installing station 68. As will be hereinafter more fullyapparent, these various stations involve the provision of equipment orfacihties on the platform 24 of the base 28, and on the bottom member 36as well as on the top member 28 of the head 25.

The preforming station will rst be described, this involving theprovision of a support block 18 best shown in Figure '1, which issecured to the top member 28 of the head 26 by suitable screws 12 and isequipped at the under side thereof with an acorn-shaped preforming punch14. This punch is preferably of a hexagonal cross sectionalconfiguration and is formed integrally with a base 16 and with a screwthreaded shank 18, whereby the entire preforming punch is secured to thesupport block 16 by a nut 86, as will be clearly understood. Upondepression of the pad 4|), that is, upon depression of the applicator toa position shown in Figure 2, the preforming punch 14 is forced throughaligned, hexagon shaped openings 82, 84 in the aforementioned walls 44,4o respectively, registrabie opening 66 provided in the platform 24 ofthe base 28. The openings 82, 64 and 86 actually assume the form of adie for the punch 14, so that when one of the reinforcement blanks I2 isin position in the preforming station 64,

upon depression of the applicator, the precut center portion of theblank will be struck out and separated into several substantiallytriangular sectors and these sectors will be bentI downwardly asindicated at 88 in Figures 2 and 5. It should, of course, be understoodthat the bottom wall 45 and the passage 48 terminate at the preformingstation 84, so that after the sectors 88 are formed, the blank is freeto travel to the separating and installing stations 66, |58respectively. That is to say, the aforementioned opening or aperture 64in the wall 46 is not closed, but rather, assumes the form of an opennotch or recess, from which the preformed blank may be slid laterallywithout obstruction.

The installing station 68 will be next described, this assuming the formof an installing punch 90 which, like the preforming punch 14, isequipped with a base 92 and with a screwand through a similar,

4 threaded shank 94, whereby the punch 90 is scured to the platform 24by means of a nut 96.

The installing punch 98 is receivable in a hexagonal aperture 98 formedin the wall 44 of the bottom member 3U and it is to be noted that adeflector |00 is installed on the punch 98, substantially as shown. Whena preformed blank is in the installing station 68 and a loose-leaf |02to which the reinforcement is to be applied is located on the punch asshown in Figure 3, upon depression of the head 26 the preformedreinforcement will be brought in engagement with the punch and thedeflector |66 will permit the sectors 88 of the reinforcement to passthrough the opening in the leaf |02 after which the reinforcementsectors 88 will be bent or doubled under the leaf |82 so that thereinforcement will be f'lrmly and securely retained in position on theleaf.

Means are provided for separating the applied reinforcements from themain body of the strip I4, this operation being effected at theseparating station 66 and involving the provision of a separating blade|84 which is secured by a screw |66 to the aforementioned support block16. Upon depression of the head 26, the blade |04 is projected through aslot |88 formed in the aforementioned wall 44, whereby the installedreinforcement is automatically separated from the strip i4 when the head26 is depressed.

The aforementioned feed mechanism 62 consists of a pair of spacedsubstantially parallel wire arms IIl which are connected togetheradjacent one end thereof by means of a suitable holding plate I |2 andare pivotally attached as at ||4 to a rod 32 provided transversely inthe support 22. The free end portions of the arms II provide what may bereferred to as a pair of arcuate feeding ngers I I6 which extend throughpairs of aligned slots IIS formed in the walls 44, 46, substantially asshown. In this manner, the fingers ||6 extend through the reinforcementpassage 48, and it is to be noted that a suitable spring |20 is providedon the pivot rod 32, this spring engaging the plate ||2 and urging thefingers ||6 of the arms |||l through the slots |I8. Suitable pads |22are secured to the fingers I|6, these pads being slidable on the uppersurface of the wall 44 and thus preventing the spring |26 from urgingthe fingers ||6 through the slots i i8 to excess.

The configuration of the slots I I8 is best shown in the accompanyingFigures 4 and 6, wherein it will be noted that the slots terminate atone end in outwardly arcuated portions |24, while the remaining endsthereof terminate in outwardly angulated portions |26, the fingers ||6being disposed in the slot portions |24 when the head 26 is depressed asshown in Figure 2. However, inasmuch as the pivot rods 32, 34 are spacedone from the other, raising of the head 26 in the direction of the arrow|21 will cause the fingers Ilia` to travel inwardly and forwardly in theslots ||8 as indicated at |23 in Figure 4, until the head 26 is fullyelevated as shown in Figure 3, at which point the ngers ||6 will springoutwardly into the slot portions |26, as indicated at |38 in Figure 4.It should be explained at this point that the arms l I8 are resilient soas to normally urge the ngers I|6 outwardly into the slot portions |24,|26, the travel of the lingers through the intermediate portions of theslots I|8 being effected against the resiliency of the arms III).

Matters are so arranged that when the head 26 is moved from an elevatedto a depressed position, the fingers H6 by virtue of their arcuateconfiguration, simply slide upwardly over the edges of the slot portions|26 and after leaving the latter are drawn rearwardly as indicated at|32 in Figure 4, until they drop into the slot portions |24 when thehead 26 is fully depressed.

Referring again -to the movement of the fingers H6 in the direction ofthe arrows |28 when the head 26 is being elevated, the fingers whilemoving in this direction, of course, extend through the passage 48 andare brought in engagement with the recesses I8 between two of thereinforcement blanks, and by virtue of this engagement, the fingers ||6propel the reinforcement strip through the passage 48 toward thepreforming station 64, and at the same time, propel the preformed blankfrom the station 64 to the installing station 68 until the fingers aredisengaged from the recess-es |8 and are sprung laterally into the slotportions |26. On the other hand, when the head 26 is depressed, thefingers ||6 simply disengage themselves from th-e slot portions |26 andtravel as indicated at |32 into the slot portions |24, after which thefingers engage themselves with the recesses (I8) between the nextadjacent set of reinforcing blanks, as will be clearly apparent. As aresult, when the head 26 is depressed, one of the reinforcement blankswill be preformed in the preforming station 64 While anotherreinforcement blank, already preformed, is installed on the sheet |02 inthe station 66 and is simultaneously separated from the strip I4 by Itheblade |04 in the station 66, as will be clearly understood. Thereupon,

when the head 26 is raised to its elevated position, the feed mechanism62 advances the strip i4 so that the preformed blank is brought intoposition in the installing station 68 and another blank is brought intoposition for preforming in the station 64, in readiness for the nextdepression or actuation of the applicator.

In conclusion, it may be explained that the -top member 28 is providedunder the pad 40 with an inturned flange |34, whil-e the bottom member30 is formed with an outturned, coacting flange |36, these anges beingengageable one with the other so as to prevent the members 28, 3|) frombecoming separated to an excess, as will be clearly understood.

It is believed that the advantages in use of the invention will beclearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, furtherdescription thereof at this point is deemed 11nnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resortedto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asclaimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a reinforcement applicator, the combination of a base providedwith an upstandlng support, a horizontal pivot pin on said support, adepressible head mounted on said pin and provided with a reinforcementfeed passage, and feeding mechanism comprising a movable memberpositioned in said head and including a pair of spaced arms having freeend portions constituting reinforcement engaging fingers, means in saidpassage for guiding the movement of said ngers in and out ofreinforcement engaging positions, and a second pivot pin connecting saidmember to said support at a point spaced from said first-mentioned pin,whereby said member 1s movable in said head in response to thedepression of the head relative to said base.

2. In a reinforcement applicator, the combination of a base providedwith an upstanding support, a horizontal pivot pin on said support, adepressible head mounted on said pin and provided with a reinforcementfeed passage, and feeding mechanism comprising a movable memberpositioned in said head and including a pair of spaced arms having freeend portions disposed in said passage and constituting reinforcementengaging fingers, means in said passage for guiding the movement of saidngers toward and away from each other to respectively engage anddisengage a reinforcement strip, and a second pivot pin connecting saidmember to said support at a point spaced from said first mentioned pin,whereby said member is movable in said head in response to thedepression of the head relative to said base.

3. In a reinforcement applicator, the combination of a base providedwith an upstanding support, a depressible head mounted on said pin andincluding a pair of vertically spaced bottom walls defining areinforcement feed passage therebetween, and feeding mechanismcomprising a movable member positioned in said head and including a pairof spaced resilient arms having free end portions constituting a pair ofreinforcement engaging fingers, said bottom walls being provided withregistering pairs of slots having spaced parallel intermediate portionsand laterally extending bays at the ends of said intermediate portions,said fingers being slidable in said slots and urged into said bays bythe resiliency of said arms, and a second pivot pin connecting saidmember to said support at a point spaced from said first mentioned pin,whereby depression and subsequent raising of said head may respectivelyslide said fingers through said intermediate slot portions andsubsequently move the fingers over the upper of said bottom walls fromone end of the slots to the other.

4. In a reinforcement applicator, the combination of a base, adepressible head mounted thereon, and reinforcement applying meanscomprising an upwardly tapered element having a polygonalcross-sectional configuration secured to said base, and a deflectorenclosing said element and consisting of a set of upwardly convergentrods each disposed at one corner of said element,

said head being provided with a polygonal opening to receive saidelement and said deiiector.

JOHN A. ROBERTS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the lle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,514,913 Koronski Nov. 11, 1924FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 393,404 Germany Apr. 1, 1924

